MERCEDES CHAMPIONSHIPS

January 5, 2002

Chris DiMarco

TODD BUDNICK: Chris DiMarco, a 5-under 68 today. Chris, why don't you tell us about those conditions.

CHRIS DIMARCO: I'm just glad to be out of the wind right now. You know, it was really tough. The 1st hole obviously -- I hit driver, 2-iron in the 1st hole, and a driver 8-iron into 18. 2-iron into No. 1.

You know, it was really weird out there. It was blowing so hard. My shots weren't really affected that much because you just play to win. Just hit it out there, let the wind bring it in.

Putting was so hard out there today. I had one on No. 5. Hit it about eight feet. Had an 8-footer for par. Putted up probably about a foot. I told Jim, I said I would go mark. Went to mark my ball, the wind blew it another five, six, seven feet. Ended up missing the putt. It was that kind of day.

Q. What hole was that?

CHRIS DIMARCO: No. 5, the par 5. Two or three times I was out there, I had a foot putt, foot and a half putt, probably took me three or four minutes to hit it to kind of let the wind not blow me over. It was really hard.

Even on 18, I think I had a little two-footer on 18. The wind is coming over your left. I made sure I jammed it in there. Almost hit it too hard. You're just trying to get it in there quick. It's tough out there.

Q. That said, what is a 68 like?

CHRIS DIMARCO: I had a lot of opportunities I left out there. I missed about a 6-footer on No. 2 for birdie. I doubled 5. I mean, after having -- I was 130 yards for my third shot into the green, made double.

I don't know what to tell you. I played really flawless on the Back 9. I made five birdies. Who knows what could have happened. A couple putts fall, could have been low.

5-under in these conditions was very good. I don't know. I can't say I would have shot 10-under if it was calm because I might not have made those putts. I made some really good putts that I played the wind on; might not have played the wind, might have misread. Very fortunate some putts went in.

Q. In these kind of conditions, how important is your caddie relationship? Do you depend on him more?

CHRIS DIMARCO: You do. It's weird out there. Yardages almost don't matter. There were a couple times -- on No. 14 today, I had 101 yards to the hole, I hit 7-iron. I mean, it doesn't even matter. For me it's all feel. Whatever I feel like I can hit easy, keep under the wind, hit the right distance.

For me, I almost visualize myself in the woods, that I got to hit like a little punch shot out of the woods. That's what I visualize. Kind of let it run up there. It's just all feel out there.

If you try to fight the wind at all, you almost have no chance. The downhill holes -- downwind holes almost play a little harder because you're hitting full shots. Who knows how far they're going to go downwind. I hit a 7-iron on No. 8 today. Playing 212 yards. I hit 7-iron ten yards past the hole. I don't know if I could have got 8-iron to the front edge. 7-iron ten yards past. Kind of weird out there.

Q. You said after winning the Buick Challenge, even though Pennsylvania was nice, this was a tournament that had a big field, Duval, Love, gave you a better appreciation. What about something this week?

CHRIS DIMARCO: You know, I didn't come here to finish second. I came here to win.

Q. Do you already feel validated, if will you?

CHRIS DIMARCO: I feel like I'm -- I mean, the reason I'm here is because I won a tournament last year, so why not win this tournament? My whole goal coming in here. I played a lot of golf the last couple weeks. I told my wife, "I'm trying to get one out of the way early."

That's my goal, to go out and win one early. Take a little more time off, whatever.

You know, I have two goals: My first goal is to get back to this tournament every year, and play in the TOUR Championship every year. If you do those two goals, you've had a good year.

Q. Talk about the last couple weeks, what has the schedule been like?

CHRIS DIMARCO: At home I've got a guy named Donnie Hammond, Fulton Allem, I play with every day. I tee it up on a Tuesday wherever we play. It's almost like playing in a Tour event because these guys are playing on Tour. I got a lot of practice in. We play gambling games, have some fun. It keeps me sharp. You know, I have the pressure of the four- or five-footers. That's what it's all about. I'm not a big go on the range and hit balls, hit balls, trying to get ready. How are you going to get ready for here when you have 50 mile-an-hour winds blowing? You're not going to. You have to get in the competitive way. I try to get in the competitive mindset and get ready to play golf.

Q. Some guys want to take time off. You want to play.

CHRIS DIMARCO: I didn't play anything from THE TOUR Championship. I took two, three weeks right after THE TOUR Championship, didn't touch a club. Then I played a lot coming in. I wanted to play a lot coming in.

Q. In the last year or two, you've become this Top 10 machine. Was there one thing or a series of things that kind of got you on that next level?

CHRIS DIMARCO: You know, it's funny, you always look at Tiger and you always look at Duval, you always look at these guys. They don't ever look nervous. I think that's where I've gotten. I've gotten to a comfortable spot where I'm more comfortable out there. I expect to be there.

When you're comfortable, you're going to play better. I play a lot better -- when I'm home, I'm relaxed, I'm playing good golf. Why not come out here and play good golf? It's really relaxing for me and being comfortable out there.

TODD BUDNICK: Go over your card quick. Birdie on No. 3.

CHRIS DIMARCO: 3, playing short, hit a driver, lob wedge in there about a foot, made the birdie. Made the double on No. 5.

No. 6 I drove it right down to the short of the green, chipped it up foot and a half, made birdie.

13, I hit a 3-iron, I hit a 7-iron to about 12 feet behind the hole. Made a really good putt there. Good little breaker.

Next hole, 2-iron, 7-iron to about five, six feet beyond the hole, which was a really tough putt. Made a good little curler.

Next hole, driver, 3-wood, sand wedge, about six feet behind the hole. Pretty straight putt.

Next hole, driver, 8-iron, about eight feet right of the hole. Made a good little curl. From eight feet, probably played two feet of break. Curled her in there.

Driver, 8-iron from 35 feet.

Q. What happened on 5?

CHRIS DIMARCO: 5, I hit driver, 2-iron. I had like 131. I tried to hit a 6-iron. I just kind of pulled a bit just short and left. I putted up about six feet past the hole. Putted it by about a foot. Went to mark my ball, the wind blew it about seven feet.

Q. Is this as different as anything you play all year, terrain, wind?

CHRIS DIMARCO: Yeah. I mean, it's almost not even golf, to tell you the truth. To make a putt, it's almost lucky. I was very lucky out there to make putts. The wind could have done anything to my ball.

When I'm in this kind of wind, I allow for a lot of break. I allow to the wind. I try not to leave myself the three-footers in this wind. Three-footers are really hard in this wind. I mean, I almost try to 2-putt every green. If they go in, great, bonus. I was lucky to make few putts coming in.

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